As promised 😊
As Rohan scoured the venue for Meera, he couldn't find her anywhere. His worry escalated until he finally asked his aunt about her. She casually mentioned that Meera had gone home, which brought Rohan some relief. However, he remained tense, knowing his sister's sensitive nature despite her mischievous streak.
Arjun, on the other hand, had also gone home. The weight of the day's events pressed heavily on him. He desperately wanted to escape the harsh reality of his actions. As he lay on his bed, his face dull and expressionless, The image of Meera's beautiful lotus-like eyes, red and filled with tears when Kriti had hugged him, played on a loop in his mind. It pained him deeply.
He resolved that he needed to find a balance-not too strict but not too lenient either. Maybe, with time, she would learn. As his thoughts lingered on Meera, he glanced at her mobile lying beside him. A part of him felt guilty about the idea of invading her privacy, but another part urged him to understand her better.
Giving in to his curiosity, he unlocked her phone and was surprised by what he found. There were a myriad of apps he had never seen before-Wattpad, Pinterest, a drawing app, and even a diary app.
"Girls today even write their diaries on their phones," he thought, both amused and intrigued. Unable to resist, he opened the diary app, eager to uncover Meera's inner thoughts. As he delved into her digital world, he hoped to find answers, maybe even some solace, for the guilt that weighed so heavily on his heart.
**May 12th, when Meera was 11 years old:**
Today, dadi gave me 1000 rupees for my birthday. My parents never celebrate my birthday. They think giving birth to me brought bad luck because their business failed after I was born. Despite everything, I find solace in my grandma. At least my parents support my education, even though my grades aren't great. But today, I'm happy. I'm going to use the pocket money dadi gave me to buy a mobile and transfer my diary into it.
As Arjun read this entry, he realized how Meera's parents never provided her with the love she deserved. They saw her as a burden but provided her basic needs out of duty.
**February 2nd, when Meera was 13 years old:**
I bought acrylic colors with money I earned from online work on my phone. I want to be an artist, but my parents threw them away and told me to study, saying I'm good for nothing.
**February 4th:**
I secretly made natural colors from rocks, flowers, leaves, and rhizomes. I'm going to create paintings with these colors. Rohan bhaiyya laughed at me, saying I'm just playing with mud.
**April 19th, when Meera was 15 years old:**
My one and only support, my grandma, died today. What should I do? Who do I have in this world now? My parents are only there in name.
**January 20th, when Meera was 17 years old:**
I got my visa to go to Australia with the help of my uncle, as I won the Best Artist Award and a flight ticket for an international drawing competition. My uncle somehow convinced my parents to let me go, but they weren't happy about it. They said, "We want you to do well in your studies and become a doctor, but you're too interested in your so-called painting."
**Update:**
I won second prize and 5 lakhs, which I deposited in my uncle's bank. He's going to manage my expenses because I don't want to be a burden on him. But my parents were never proud of my achievements.
Note that meera is anonymous artist, nobody know her when she head to competition as the competition to anonymous.
**April 20th:**
Today, my parents finally made me attend the tuition classes that Rohan bhaiyya goes to. I thought the tutor would be strict like my other teachers who insult me, but no, he's so cool. This made me want to attend tuition classes. Oh god, he's so handsome, like the fictional men I read about on Wattpad. Why, god, are you making my brain dirtier than I thought?
As Arjun read through Meera's entries, he felt a deep ache in his heart. Each line revealed her struggles, her resilience, and her hidden talents. He realized how misunderstood and undervalued she was by her parents. Her entries painted a picture of a girl who was fighting against the odds, yearning for love and recognition, and finding her way through her art and the small joys she could grasp. Arjun's guilt deepened, mingling with admiration for Meera's strength. He knew he had to make amends and support her in a way she had never been supported before.
He opened another app called Wattpad and discovered a list of stories she had read.As he delved deeper into her Wattpad profile, Arjun found himself captivated by the titles of Meera's stories, each one hinting at a world of unspoken desires and forbidden passions
An Innocent Crush Which Is Not So Innocent at the End
Perfectly Casual
Graduated with Love
In Love with My Professor
Life ft Love
As he scrolled through her profile, he realized that Meera was deeply engrossed in the forbidden teacher-student tropes. Arjun couldn't help but feel surprised . He saw a side of Meera he had never imagined - a girl with a vivid imagination and a longing for the kind of love she read. It was clear that her stories were an escape, a way to cope with the lack of affection and understanding in her real life.
Understanding her world a little better now, Arjun felt a renewed determination to be more than just a tutor to Meera. He wanted to guide her, support her, and help her find her true potential, both academically and emotionally. With a deep sigh, he resolved to address the situation with care and empathy, hoping to bridge the gap that had formed between them.
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YOU ARE READING
NOT JUST A CRUSH
VampireARJUN PATEL, a twenty-six-year-old teacher from a middle-class background, is smart, handsome, sweet, and very serious when it comes to studies and other important matters. He also gives tuitions to students who need extra help " Meera Chaudhary, a...
